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March most likely month to die in backcountry avalanche

The ESPN story Why More People Are Dying in Avalanches goes well beyond the trite "because more people are ducking ropes" answer to examine both the psychology of how skiers analyze sketchy situations and which way the current avalanche stats pointing.

Photograph by: ESPN

As we just passed the vernal equinox and the first day of spring, the Canadian Avalanche Association has released a special alert for backcountry users in the B.C. Interior. Though springtime is usually an excellent time for heading into the mountains due to longer periods of high pressure and sunshine, rising temperatures due to stronger, more powerful solar conditions can weaken layers buried deep within the snowpack. In fact, more avalanche fatalities occur in March than in any other month.

Remember that there is no such thing as sidecountry or slackcountry beyond the area boundaries of a ski resort — it’s uncontrolled terrain and as North Shore Rescue can attest — it’s following tracks down a gully can lead to big trouble. Tour with a partner, carry a probe, shovel, wear an avalanche beacon, check the conditions with the local ski patrol or through the www.avalanche.ca forecast, and be safe out there. Warmer spring snow will congeal around even a partially buried skier like cement.

The ESPN story Why More People Are Dying in Avalanches goes well beyond the trite "because more people are ducking ropes" answer to examine both the psychology of how skiers analyze sketchy situations and which way the current avalanche stats pointing.

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